Process of dyeing textile yarns



Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM WHITEHEAD, OF CUMBERLAND, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO CELAIN'ES E COR- PORATION OF AMERICA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE PROCESS OF DYEING TEXTILE YARNS 1V0 Drawing.

This invention deals with a process for dyeing yarns when wound in the form of pirns, spools, bobbins, etc. One object of this invention is to provide a process whereby theyarns are dyed in varying shades along their length. Another object of this invention is to provide a process whereby yarns dyed in various colors along their length are obtained. Another object of this invention is to obtain yarns varying both in color and in shade along their length. Another object of this invention is to obtain fabrics containing speckled markings, woodgrain-like effects or fabrics containing bands of different shades and/or colors from these unevenly dyed yarns all such colour efiects are hereinafter in the claims included in the term variegated colour eifects.

In normal practice, dyeing on the cop is carried out by forcing dyestuffs in solution thru the perforated metal spindles carrying a cotton cop. Cops thus dyed are uniform in color and shade. This is possible because the cotton cops are comparatively loosely 2 wound, retaining their shape because of the fibrous nature of the yarn. This even dyeing is obtainable because of the porous nature of the cop which permits penetration and free circulation of the dyesolution between the so windings when the solution is introduced under pressure.

The applicant has devised the present process wherein cops, spools, bobbins etc. of fibres may be dyed in different shades or colors or both along the length of the fibres. From the above, multi-shade yarns, multi-color yarns or yarns with a combination of both may be formed. Also fabrics containing speckled markings, woodgrain-li-ke effects, or hands of different shade and color may be knitted or woven from the cop, spool, bobbin, etc. of yarn dyed by this process without having to resort to the complicated motions in knitting and weaving operations, such as were necessary before the applicants invention, to

obtain like effects.

The process of this invention consists of immersing cops, spools, bobbins, etc. of yarn in either dispersions, emulsions or solutions of dyestuffs or. any form of dyebath at tem- Application filed April 12, 1926. Serial 1T0. 101,571.

as in the practice in normal dyeing. Also the time of immersion may be varied to effect different degrees of penetration of the dyestufi's into the windings of the yarn on the cop, spools, etc. and to obtain various differ.-

ences of shade and color between the freely and less freely exposed windings. These treatments give a cop whose freely exposed windings will be dyed a much deeper shade than the windings less freely exposed, the shade varying inversely as the distancefrom the exposed surfaces of the windings.

Thus with a normal cop or spool the outer windings are dyed a deeper shade than the inner windings, whilst in the cops or spools wound on perforated tubes or bobbins, the outer and inner windings are dyed a deep shade whereas the windings situated between these two layers will be dyed a much lighter shade. Again with a cop or spool, the bobbin or tube of which is perforated and whose outer windings of the yarn are protected from the application of the dyestuffs by another winding of yarn or other wrapping, the inner layer of the windings will be dyed a deeper shade, whereas the outer protected windings will be dyed a much lighter shade or be entirely unaffected by the dyestuffs.

When it is desired to obtain multiple color effects these can be obtained by using any number of dyestuffs of different penetrating power and dyeing the same in one operation. Thus a p irn or bobbin of cellulose acetate yarn can be immersed in a mixed solution of aminoazo-benzene and methylaminoanthraquinone in benzol at any temperature up to the boiling point of the solution. The former dyestuif, yellow in color, has greater penetrative powers than the latter which is of a bluish-mauve color. The result will be that the outer windings are of a brownishgreen color whilst the inner windings change gradually, without any clear line of demarkation, into a yellow.

Multiple colorefi'ects similar to the above may also be obtainedby giving the cop or spool successive treatments in 'dyebaths of similar penetrative powers but for varying 5 lengths of time. ,No specific instance of the length of time for immersion is iven since this will vary for difierent dyestu s and also for difi'erent fibres. The length of immersion will also depend on the depth of color desired as well as upon the particular speckled effect which is sought for. The longer the immersion the greater will be the penetration of the dyestuffs in the windings of the cop or spool. Thus a long treatment with a yellow dye followed by a short treatment with a red dye may be employed to obtain a cop or spool the outer windings of wh ch are orange and the inner windings of which are yellow, where the treatment with the red dye is of shorter duration than the treatment with the yellow dye.

Different penetrations of one or more dye- I stuffs may also be efiected by applyin the various dyestuffs in different physical orm. For example, when a cop or spool of cellulose acetate yarn is treated with an aqueous solution of rosaniline hydro-chloride, the windings will be penetrated to a greater depth than they would be by a dispersion of finely considered as limited only by the scope of the ground methylaminoanthraquinone in water t is understood that any treatments connected with dyeing may be employed in this new system of dyeing discovered by the applicant. Cops or spools of dyed yarn may be bleached so that the more freely exposed windings may have more color removed than.

the less freely exposed windings. Also the process for dye extraction as described in the applicants co-pending applications Nos. 64,574 and 64,575, may be substituted for this bleaching treatment. Theseapplications describe the extraction of dyes from dyed organic derivative of cellulose material by means of an extractant that comprises an organic solvent for the dye, which extract-ant contains or acts as a swelling agent for the derivative of cellulose. Examples of such solvents are benzene, toluene, xylene, dichlor ethylene and trichlor ethylene.

It is obvious that as in a bottle bobbin wind the yarn quickly traverses from the v outer diameter of the windings to the inner diameter of the windings,'the yarn dyed by this process may be alternately dark and light in shade. It will be seen quite clearly that speckled fabrics may be knitted from such yarn. When the yarn treated by this process is wound onan ordinary bobbin and with a parallel wind, it is clear that if this yarn be used as a weft in weaving a weft faced satin, that on the satin face of the fabric the fabric will gradually change from a dark to a light shade, the frequency of this change depending on the dimensions of the windings of yarn on the bobbin used for dyemg.

When cop crust dyed yarn is employed in both warp andweft of a pongeeweave, the effect obtained is a series of criss cross marks throughout the fabric. And also fabrics containing bands of color or colors with varying frequency may be woven or knitted from yarns dyed by the applicants process. Other combinations and effects, than those heretofore mentioned, are to be considered within the scope of the applicants invention.

It should be understood that the instances and examples stated are only for the purpose of describing the preferred forms of carrymg out the process and the process should. be

appended claims.

Where I use the term cellulose derivatives in the claims I include cellulose, converted cellulose, organic and inorganic esters of cellulose, ethers of cellulose and any other derivatives of cellulose. Any yarn, any dyestufi's capable of dyeing said'yarn, any form of yarn or any mechanical devices protecting the yarn in places where it is desired to retard or entirely dispense with the dyeing of the yarn, may be employed. Also, it is not necessary that the pirn, or bobbin, or spool with the yarn wound thereon, should be entirely immersed. Nor is this process to be considered as limited to the treatment of undyed yarns only, for this process can as well be applied to yarn which has already been dyed by any known process without departing from the spirit of-the invention.

The term bath capable of effecting a colour change used in the appended claims is to be understood to include a dyebath, and/or a bleaching or a stripping bath.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Process for the production of unevenly coloured yarns from yarns containing organic derivatives of cellulose comprising immersing a package of the yarn, wound on a hollow perforated support and provided wlth a protection for the outer windings thereof, in a bath capable of eflecting a colour change of the yarn,'and removing the same before the colour change is uniform throughout the package.

3. Process for the production of unevenly coloured yarns from yarns containing organic derivatives of cellulose, comprising immersing a package of the yarn, wound on a hollow perforated support, in a dyebath containing an organic solvent for the dye and removing the same before the dyeing is uniform throughout the package.

4. Process for the production of unevenly coloured yarns from yarns, comprising immersing apackage of the yarn, wound on a hollow perforated support and provided with a protection for the outer windings thereof, in a dyebath and removing the same before the dyeing is uniform throughout the package.

5. Process for the production of unevenly coloured yarns from yarns, comprising immersing a wound package of the yarn in a dyebath comprising a plurality of dyestuffs having difierent penetrative powers and removing the same before the dyeing is complete throughout the package.

6. Process for the production of unevenly coloured yarns from yarns made of organic derivatives of cellulouse, comprising immersing a package of the yarn, wound on a hollow perforated support and provided witha protection for the outer windings thereof, in a bath capable of effecting a colour change of the yarn, and removing the same before the colour change is uniform throughout the package.

7. Process for the production of unevenly coloured yarns from yarns made of organic derivatives of cellulose, comprising immersing a ackage of the yarn, wound on a hollow perforated support, in a dyebath and removing the same before the dyeing is uniform throughout the package.

8. Process for the production of unevenly coloured yarns from yarns made of cellulose derivatives, comprising immersing a wound package of the yarn in a dyebath comprising a plurality of-dyestuifs having different penetrative powers and removing the same before the dyeing is complete throughout the package.

9. Process for the production of unevenly coloured yarns from yarns made of cellulose acetate, comprising immersing a package of the yarn, wound on a hollow perforated supthe yarn, wound on a hollow perforated sup- I port and provided with a protection for the outer windings thereof, -in a bath capable of efiecting a colour change of the yarn, and removing the same before the colour change is uniform throughout the package.

11. Process for the production of unevenly coloured yarns from yarns made of cellulose acetate, comprising immersing a package of the yarn, wound on a hollow perforated support, in a dyebath containing an organic solvent fort he dye and removing the same before the dyeing is uniform throughout the package.

12. Process" for the production of unevenly coloured yarns from yarns made of cellulose acetate, comprising immersing a package of the yarn, wound'ori a hollow perforated sup port and provided with a protection for the outer windings thereof, in a dyebath and removing the same before the dyeing is uniform port, in a bath capable of effecting a colour change of the yarn and removing the same before the colour change is uniform throughout the package.

10. Process for the production of unevenly coloured yarns from yarns made of cellulose acetate, comprising immersing a package of 

